Another Kick in the Teeth for Leeds as Government Refuses to Back Congestion Plans (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

Another Kick in the Teeth for Leeds as Government Refuses to Back Congestion Plans

November 6, 2006 5:28 PM

The Government has yet again rejected plans drawn up in Leeds to tackle congestion across the Leeds City Region. A bid by the Leeds City Region Partnership* for 1.7 million pounds to carry out research into congestion across the city region has been rejected today by the Department for Transport. Leader of Leeds City Council Mark Harris (Lib Dem) says this is yet another snub to Leeds from Ministers based in London.

Cllr Harris said "After 15 years of delays to Supertram from both Conservative and Labour Governments, culminating in last year's outright rejection of the scheme, this is nothing short of scandalous. Everyone within the Leeds City Region will of course continue to work to find ways to reduce congestion on our roads. We are limited in what we can do though, as transport funding for the region is just a fraction of that provided for London and the South East."

"The sooner that the Government allows the Leeds City Region some control over its own transport funding and decision-making the better. Right now it's perfectly clear to the people of Leeds and the surrounding areas that - for reasons known only to themselves - the Government is stubbornly refusing to support our local economy and transport infrastructure."

Notes:

Leeds City Region partnership, which comprises Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, part of North Yorkshire, Selby, Wakefield and York plus Metro and the Highways Agency, submitted a ?1.7 million bid for research funding at the end of July.